Safety mining needle



May 13 1924. 1,493,823

. A. FALSHA SAFETY MINING NEEDLE Filed Feb. 14, 1924 G Womans Patented May 13, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,493,823 PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW PALSHA., 0F ASHLEY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ON-HALF TO THOMAS HENICHEK, JB., 0F ASHLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY MINING NEEDLE.

Application filed February 14, 1924. Serial No. 692,723.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW PALSHA, a citizen of the United States, residin at Ashley, in the county of Luzerne and btate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Mining Needles, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to the general art of mine blasting and has more specific reference to a needle employed in the placing of the blasting charge within the explosive charge receiving hole of the mine wall and the primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a needle that is formed throughout its length with a groove whereby the wire of the electric cap or detonator, may be disposed therein for allowing said needle to be employed in the placing of the charge without interfering with said wire and for obviously allowing the needle to be withdrawn from the hole without affecting the -position of the wire within said hole.

An additional object of this invention is sides in the provision of an article of the above character wherein the battery wire for the electric detonator or Fonobel eX- plosive is fully protected and wherein said vneedle may be employed in the carrying out of all fo-rms of mine blasting.

An additional ob-iect of this invention is to provide a needle wherein holes may be charged without carrying out the old method of firing with detonators and then necessitating that the miner run away from the place to a point of safety.

Yet another object of the invention is to allow the water within the hole to freely drain therefrom and thereby prevent the powder from getting wet, it being well to state at this time that by the provision of a needle of this character black powder may be used, which heretofore has been an impossibility.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, as the nature of the invention will be better understood, the same comprises the novel form of a safety mining needle hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In thel drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a safety mining needle constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail longitudinal sectional view therethrough, the electric wire andthe blasting'cap being removed from the channel formed in said rod,

Figure 3 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line 3 3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an elevational view from the front end of said needle.

Now, having particular reference to the drawing, my novel safety mining needle comprises a relatively elongated tapered and solid rod 5, of copper for thereby preventing any static electrical sparks from oc.- curring within the shot hole during the operation of the needle.

The enlarged end of this solid copper rod. 5 carries a/desirable form of cast iron handle 6 that is detachably secured' thereto through the medium of a set vscrew 7 This rod 5 is formed throughout practically its entire length and upon its surface with a wire receiving groove or channel 8 that is bridged at the end of the rod as at 9 and at 2 or more points intermediate the ends of the rod as at 10-10 for obviously preventing the disengagement of the electric wire 11 disposed within said channel or groove during the operation of the needle.

Electrical wire 11 carries at one end, as is well known, an igniting cap 12 and in actual practice, this .wire 11 is passed through the channel or groove 8 of the needle until the same is positioned substantially as shown in Figure 1. The end of this wire 11 opposite from that carrying the said igniting cap is extended outwardly of said channel or groove 8 at the handle end of the tool and then wrapped around the shank of said set screw 7 In actual use, the black powder charge is disposed within the hole to be shot after which the needle is engaged within said hole for obviously inserting the cap 12 within the charge, after which a well known form of tamping tool is engaged within the hole and the charge subsequently tamped. It will therefore be seen that any water within the hole will be allowed to drain therefrom through the slot or channel 8 in the rod 5 of the needle. Also, after the charge has been suiic'iently tamped, a groove will be formed in the hole when the needle is retracted for also allowing the water to flow from Said hole.

After the charge has been sufficiently tamped, the outer end of the electrical wire ll is unwrapped from the set screw 7 after which the needle is retracted without affecting the relationship of the cap with the charge in the hole.

The wire is then connected to any desirable Source of electric current and the hole subsequently blasted.

Y The specific operation as well as numerous advantages of a safety mining needle of this character will be at once appreciated by those skilled in the mining industry, and although I have herein shown and described the most practical embodiment of the invention with which I am at this time familiar, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

vWhat I claim as new is:

l. In a mining needle of the character described, a rela-tively elongated rod, a handle upon one end thereof, said rod being formed throughout practically its entire length with a cap wire receiving groove, means at the forward end of the groove and at points intermediate its ends for preventing the lateral disengagement of the wire from the tube While the same is being used, said mea-ns comprising groove bridges formed integral with the rod.

2. In a mining needle of the character described, a relatively elongated rod, a handle upon one end thereof, said rod being formed throughout practically its entire length with a cap wire receiving groove, means at the forward end of the groove and at points intermediate its ends for preventing the lateral disengagement of the wire from the tube while the same is being used, and means at the handle end of the rod whereby the end cap of the wire may be secured thereto.

3. In a mining needle of the character described, a relatively elongated rod, a handle upon one end thereof, said rod being formed throughout practically its entire length with a cap wire receiving groove, means at the forward end of the groove and at points intermediate its ends for preventing the lateral disengagement of the wire from the tube while the same is being used, said means comprising groove bridges formed integral with the rod, and means at the handle end of the rod whereby the end cap of the wire may be secured thereto.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

ANDY PALSHA. 

